The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights

The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights (1787-1789) is a foundational document of American democracy. Written by delegates attending the Constitutional Convention, a gathering intended to revise the system of government established under the Articles of Confederation, The Constitution of the United States was ratified in 1788 before becoming effecting in 1789. Nearly two and a half centuries old, it is the oldest continually enforced national constitution in the world. The United States Bill of Rights, containing the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was ratified in 1791, codifying into law the essential individual rights and freedoms of Americans, setting limitations on government power, and diverting powers not specifically granted to Congress to the states and citizens. “We the People.” Beginning with these words affirming the democratic aspirations of the nation, The Constitution of the United States defines the foundational organization and function of the federal government. Despite being amended 27 times since its ratification and enforcement, The Constitution of the United States is seen as essential to the American system of government and political representation. Based on several earlier documents, including the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) and the English Magna Carta (1215), The United States Bill of Rights adds to the original Constitution―which focuses primarily on the organization and function of the federal government―certain protections and specifications targeting the rights of individual Americans, important safeguards determining the reach of the federal government and ensuring the states and the people are proportionately empowered. The First Amendment, perhaps the most recognizable, guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly, as well as the right of every citizen to petition the government without fear of reprisal or punishment..

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The Constitutional Convention (1787) was a gathering of delegates in Philadelphia intended to revise the system of government established under the Articles of Confederation. The delegates, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, elected George Washington as President of the convention before changing course from a revision of the Articles of Confederation to a complete overhaul of the United States government and the creation of a new Constitution. After debating over the merits of James Madison’s Virginia Plan and William Paterson’s New Jersey Plan, delegates agreed on the former, which proposed a centralized government made up of three branches and argued for a bicameral legislature. After deliberating for a period over the Connecticut Compromise, delegates composed a draft of the Constitution which was refined and resubmitted in September to be signed by thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates. Ratified the following year, The Constitution of the United States is the single most important document in American political history.

The 1st United States Congress (1789-1791) was the first legislature to meet under the laws established by The Constitution of the United States. Comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, the 1st United States Congress was led by Senate President John Adams during the first two years of George Washington’s presidency. Its most enduring accomplishment was the creation and ratification of The United States Bill of Rights. Spearheaded by James Madison, these ten amendments, ratified in 1791, added essential freedoms, protections, and limitations to the Constitution which continue to shape the United States and the lives of its people today.